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Philippe Coutinho is ‘considering’ a return to the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur firmly in the race to sign the Barcelona star in the summer, reports say.

Coutinho has been cast aside by Quique Setien, as he lost his place to Antoine Griezmann, and he has spent the past season on loan at Bayern Munich.

According to Sport, as cited by The Sun, his agent Kia Joorabchian has been holding talks with Premier League clubs ‘for weeks’ as he plots his return to England.

The report claims Coutinho has rejected an offer from Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta’s side will not be able to afford his wages.

On the other hand, Spurs have been given a major boost in the transfer market, as the fact that they have qualified for the Europa League has enabled them to make a move for the former Liverpool forward in the summer.

However, they will face stiff competition from Leicester City, who find themselves in the same boat.

While Coutinho has failed to find the form he enjoyed at Anfield, he could add that extra layer of quality to Jose Mourinho’s side.

Despite his struggles, the Brazilian has actually earned a higher WhoScored rating than the club’s record signing Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Moussa Sissoko this season.

The Lilywhites looked devoid of options at times throughout the season, as they struggled to score goals during Harry Kane’s lengthy absence.

Failing to replace Christian Eriksen after he left for Inter Milan has been a real problem, although the Portuguese has paired Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks together to great effect. Nevertheless, Mourinho still wants to sign a new playmaker to add to his attacking options this summer.

Recent reports revealed Barca are prepared to pay a portion of his salary for him to leave the club this year. However, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may baulk at his hefty wages, which are reportedly worth more than £200,000-a-week, and Mourinho may have to turn his attentions elsewhere.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Coutinho in the summer? Let us know down below!

Manchester City have effortlessly got back into their stride upon the resumption of the Premier League, winning their last two games by an aggregate score of 8-0.

However, Monday night’s romp over Burnley was tainted by a knee injury to Sergio Aguero which will now see the Argentine striker travel to Barcelona for an operation that, as indicated by Pep Guardiola, could rule him out for the rest of the season (as per Manchester Evening News).

That setback deprives Manchester City of their leading scorer not just this season but in the club’s history as they continue fighting on three fronts for the remainder of 2019/20. Although their Premier League title defence is likely to come to an end soon, they are still in the FA Cup and, significantly, remain in the hunt to win their first Champions League crown.

Aguero’s prolonged absence will almost certainly see Gabriel Jesus leading the line for City over the next few weeks and, while he doesn’t quite have the extraordinary goal record boasted by his elder team-mate, the Brazilian is no slouch in front of goal himself.

Going into tomorrow night’s visit to Chelsea, the 23-year-old has struck 18 goals this season and provided 10 assists, contributing to 28 goals in total over 41 appearances so far in 2019/20 (as per TransferMarkt). He has already stepped up with a couple of vital interventions this term, most notably his late winner at Leicester in February which was swiftly followed by the equaliser in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid a few days later.

Jesus started last week’s win over Arsenal and, although he hasn’t scored since the league returned this month, he has recorded five shots in 123 minutes of action, as well as providing the assist for Phil Foden’s second goal against Burnley on Monday.

With a return of one goal every 130.5 minutes (18 in 2,349 minutes) despite only starting 14 Premier League games so far this season, the Brazilian has been a very efficient impact player for Manchester City. However, with his longest run of consecutive league starts spanning just five matches, he will now have the added responsibility of leading the line with Aguero set to be ruled out for some time.

If that continues to be the case when the Champions League resumes in August and Guardiola’s team are chasing a historic European triumph, Jesus could be more important to the side than at any point in his four seasons at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City fans, how big a blow is Aguero’s injury in the context of the season? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Sky Sports’ Sunday Supplement panel of pundits have said Jack Grealish’s potential move to Manchester United will depend on whether or not Aston Villa remain in the Premier League.

Villa’s club captain Grealish has been excellent this term, arguably having his best season for the club in netting seven goals and registering six assists in league action.

The former England under-21 international has gained interest from Manchester United, who are now said to have made the play maker their number one target this coming summer.

The report, which was shared by TeamTalk but written by the Sunday People’s Steve Bates [via TEAMtalk], was discussed on Sunday Supplement.

“Grealish has been a player on their radar for quite some time, I’m not sure United would be spending anything like £80m on Jack Grealish, but particularly if Villa end up going down, in this current market, I don’t think United would be valuing him at anything like £80m for a player who hasn’t played for England or had sustained exposure in the Premier League,” said Bates.

Bates’ comments were then backed by The Telegraph writer Matt Law, who said: “Villa’s Premier League safety will be key to the Grealish situation.

“If they go down, I think everybody expects them to have to sell him, and not at the money they’d want to.

“But if they stay up, they have incredibly wealthy owners and if they go down, they’d only have to sell Grealish from an FFP standpoint. Their owners are the fourth or fifth wealthiest in the Premier League. There’s no financial pressure on them to sell him, and if they do stay up, do Manchester United have the stomach to spend £80m on Grealish?”

You have to agree with Bates’ and Law’s comments on Grealish. Villa will likely play hardball if they remain in the Premier League and why shouldn’t they, given the midfielder’s excellent performances this season.

Manchester United have a number of transfer targets ahead of the summer transfer window so, if Aston Villa are firm enough, then the Old Trafford club could abandon their pursuit of the 24-year-old and pursue other targets instead.

Do you think Grealish will still be at Aston Villa next season? Let us know in the comments section below…

West Brom fans have been left furious by Saido Berahino some three years after the controversial academy star departed the Midlands outfit.

This week the 26-year-old was in conversation with the Counter Attack podcast where he claimed that he supports the Baggies and would “100%” welcome a return to the Hawthorns if the opportunity ever presented itself.

Berahino infamously fell out with the Albion hierarchy over a failed transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in 2015 and relationships were never repaired as he joined Stoke City in the summer of 2017 for £15m.

He now finds himself plying his trade in the Belgian top-flight for Zulte Waregam.

But there’s clearly no love lost between the West Brom graduate and the Baggies faithful.

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Many have quickly slammed Berahino for his behaviour and hoped that he would never make the return to his boyhood club – even if he has grown up considerably since his acrimonious departure.

Here’s how the supporters have been reacting to his comments…

AND in other news, West Brom unlikely to revisit January target this summer

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

West Bromwich Albion boss Slaven Bilic has been handed a major boost ahead of this weekend’s Championship return, but he’s unlikely to call upon it.

What’s he said?

The Baggies host Sheffield Wednesday at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their run at the top of the table, although they do so without the presence of everlasting duo Romaine Sawyers and skipper Jake Livermore.

It means there are two clear places up for grabs, and returning midfielder Gareth Barry has thrown his name into the hat despite only making his comeback from a career-threatening injury in midweek.

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The 38-year-old has signed a contract until the end of the current campaign after he started 15 of his 24 league games last term.

And he now feels ready to be called on.

Speaking after the reserve game on Tuesday, Barry said:

“I feel good.

“We had a training game on Saturday and another game on Tuesday. I’ve come through both of those unscathed. The knee is feeling good and I’m looking forward to getting back whenever I am needed.

“There’s nothing like being out there in front of the fans and the adrenaline rushing through.

“I’ll never put myself out of a game. If the manager asked me what I was thinking in terms of Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, I’ve always put myself up for selection so it’s then down to the manager and the coaching staff to make a decision on the squad.”

Unlikely starter

This comes as a significant boost at precisely the right time for Bilic and West Brom.

They’ll be without Livermore and Sawyers, who have started every single game this season. The latter has even played every minute available.

And with Albion sitting at the Championship summit, their contributions are clearly vast.

However, it may not be wise to rely on a 38-year-old whose last competitive game was back at the start of March, when the Baggies rolled over 4-0 at Leeds United.

Barry may believe he’s ready, but he’s still a long, long, long way off being match fit – 62 minutes against Port Vale’s reserve team just isn’t enough to warrant selection just yet.

Southampton travel to north London this Saturday to take on an Arsenal side who aren’t in the best shape, to say the least.

Unai Emery’s side currently sit sixth in the Premier League table – one place behind Sheffield United – having won just four of their 12 league games so far this season.

Having said that, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side would be sat bottom of England’s top-flight were it not for Norwich’s ineptitude. The Saints have won just twice this season, while also conceding the most goals in the division with 29 in 12 games.

Hasenhuttl, formerly of RB Leipzig, can’t seem to settle on a consistent starting XI, while also shoving square pegs in round holes on numerous occasions – the Austrian played Stuart Armstrong, a natural midfielder, at right wing-back last time out.

In that respect, here’s the XI that we think Hasenhuttl should put out against an Arsenal side with definite weaknesses…

To begin with, we feel that Hasenhuttl has to bring Ryan Bertrand straight back into the starting XI following the end of his three-match suspension, purely due to the lack of left-back options at the club.

On the other side, Cedric Soares, who recently revealed his intention to leave at the end of the season, played at left wing-back last time out, although Hasenhuttl must restore him to his natural position on the right – again due to the lack of quality options in that area.

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Ahead of the back four, a defensive-midfield duo of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Oriol Romeu should provide enough cover for the backline.

In attack, we outlined how Sofiane Boufal will cause Calum Chambers some problems on the left flank given how much the Arsenal man – a graduate of Southampton’s academy – struggled against another tricky winger in Wilfried Zaha a few weeks ago.

Danny Ings – the Saints’ top-scorer with seven goals – must start up top, while £15m summer signing Moussa Djenepo should be given the nod out on the right flank having scored two Premier League goals this season.

Nathan Redmond – who has started ten Premier League games this season – should be dropped having seemingly reverted to type this term, having scored just one goal amid a string of ineffective performances.

Both Boufal and Djenepo seem like much more of a handful for defenders to contend with, and for that reason, Hasenhuttl should take the former Norwich man out of the firing line and stick him on the bench.

One of Louis van Gaal’s signings whilst he was in charge at Old Trafford, Memphis Depay didn’t quite enjoy the Manchester United career that either he or his manager would have been hoping for.

When the Dutchman arrived in a £31m deal from PSV, Van Gaal was particularly effusive in his praise of the talented winger. Reports had suggested the likes of PSG and Liverpool were also interested in securing his signature, but in the end, they both missed out to the Red Devils.

“He is a young versatile player who has the ability to play in a number of different positions. It will take time for Memphis to get used to the rhythm of the Premier League. But I have no doubt that he has the potential to become a great footballer for this club and he is at the right club to continue the good work he has done so far.” Van Gaal, June 2015

53 appearances later however, and Depay was out the Old Trafford exit door. The 25-year-old could only muster seven goals and six assists in his time for the club, and he was promptly let go to French giants Lyon. The Netherlands international has reinvented his career since joining them in January 2017, finding the back of the net 50 times.

That form has led to speculation in recent weeks claiming Depay could move away, and Lyon sporting director Juninho confirmed United have the first option if transfer interest starts hotting up. Having seen him struggle in his initial spell, should the Red Devils take the plunge once more and see if he is finally ready for the spotlight?

Here’s what the Football FanCast writers have had to say on the matter.

Matt Dawson

“The missing piece of United’s jigsaw might well be a direct centre forward but I can’t help but feel this would be a mistake from Woodward. The Red Devils have a bustling sense of energy in attack with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Dan James and Anthony Martial but Memphis Depay is very much in the same mould.

“He’s a tricky individual with pace and flair, very much like the rest of them and despite his phenomenal record in France, netting 11 goals already this term, I’m not convinced another spell in the Premier League would be beneficial for United or the player.

“Ligue 1 is a different ball game to England’s top-flight and as he’s already shown, he wasn’t cut out for the physicality of the football in his first spell at United, scoring just seven times. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs a striker but Depay is not the answer, especially at the quoted £50m. United need to look for better value elsewhere.”

Lewis Blain

“The old adage saying in football is that you should never go back. Regardless of how you once departed, as you may tarnish a previously good reputation or make you even more hated than you already are. But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be making a major mistake in not swooping in on that first option on Louis van Gaal flop Memphis Depay.

“The 25-year-old has been reborn at Lyon since swapping Old Trafford for France’s ‘food’ capital, and he has been the one eating the rewards. Per Transfermarkt, Depay has hit 50 goals in 130 appearances, which is a decent return for a wide player. But what is most interesting is how he has improved as a striker – a number nine.

“In 38 matches leading the line, the Dutch international has bagged 15 goals and seven assists, meaning he has become an interesting prospect and one that can help fill the Manchester United’s void upfront. Both OGS and Ed Woodward made catastrophic errors in allowing Romelu Lukaku to leave the club without finding a replacement of note. 

“Depay can be that man to lessen the burden on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial if the Red Devils are ever presented with such an opportunity to re-sign him.”

Charles Jones

“I think that re-signing Memphis Depay would be foolish for Manchester United, and it could very well end up with egg on their faces.
“There’s no doubting that the Dutchman has been successful since moving to Lyon, but has he not just rediscovered the form he showed at PSV before his move to Old Trafford? Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie just aren’t up to the same standard as the Premier League, and Depay has already proven that he isn’t cut out for England’s top division.
“The saying goes ‘fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me’ and if United go back in for their former flop they could end up looking incredibly stupid for outlaying money for a player that has already shown that he’s not up to scratch at this level. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side should steer well clear.”

Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“When Depay joined United back in 2015, he was just 21, with his only experience of top-flight football coming in the Eredivisie. At 25, the Dutchman is no doubt a more rounded individual, better capable of dealing with the pressures of playing for one of the biggest sides in the world. He has been the main man at Lyon since joining, scoring 50 goals and providing a further 42 assists in 130 games.
“In taking up their first option on him, the Red Devils could give the forward the chance to revisit unfinished business at Old Trafford. The age-old chip on the shoulder could inspire him to far greater heights, and truly allow for the United faithful to see the very best of him. The 51-cap Netherlands international could prove to be a shrewd acquisition indeed.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was on the scoresheet as Liverpool recorded a 2-1 win over Genk in Tuesday night’s Champions League clash at Anfield.

The Englishman’s strike early in the second period actually proved to be the winner after Mbwana Samatta had cancelled out an early goal from Georginio Wijnaldum.

A number of Liverpool fans have already called for head coach Jurgen Klopp to select Oxlade-Chamberlain from the start against Manchester City this weekend.

And his performance against Genk is sure to have made a positive impression on his manager.

Indeed, according to WhoScored, as well as his goal, the former Arsenal ace completed three dribbles, had two shots and boasted a pass success rate of 86%.

Liverpool were far from at their best on Tuesday night.

However, another hugely important three points were secured, and the club’s supporters were delighted with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

West Bromwich Albion returned to the top of the Championship table with a 2-0 victory over Stoke City on Monday night.

Slaven Bilic’s men cruised to all three points thanks to a goal from Matty Phillips, who bagged his sixth of the season and a penalty from super-sub Hal Robson-Kanu.

The Baggies also regained their two-point cushion at the league’s summit going into this weekend’s tie with Hull City.

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It is also just the third time this season that they have kept a clean sheet, which has sparked quite a reaction from some of the Hawthorns faithful with centre-back Kyle Bartley drawing most of the glowing plaudits.

One supporter claimed the 28-year-old is more of a captain than Jake Livermore after his impressive leader-like showing from the heart of defence while another described him as ‘different class.’

A further member of the West Brom crowd was almost shocked by the fact that he had tweeted about how ‘awesome’ Bartley was with one more naming him the best player in the league.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

The Daily Mail has reported that Tottenham Hotspur remain keen on Sporting Lisbon attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes ahead of the January transfer window, and Spurs fans have been discussing the link on Twitter.

The north London outfit saw a bid for the Portugal international rejected during the summer, and if the recent Daily Mail report is to be believed then they are still keen on bringing him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 25-year-old has certainly started the 2019/20 campaign in impressive form, scoring seven goals and providing a further five assists in 11 appearances for the Portuguese giants, also captaining them.

Should Fernandes end up signing he could well be a replacement for Christian Eriksen, who appears to be on his way out of the club as he continues to reject all of the contract offers he’s been given.

Tottenham supporters have been discussing the most recent link to the attacker here, and one individual said “I’d sacrifice Lucas for him”, while another believes he is a “high possibility”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…